Cancelling an indictment against a Jerusalemite child after presenting a recording that refuted a policeman’s testimony
The public prosecution decided to cancel the indictment submitted against the 14-year old Mohammad Ashraf Abulhawa. Lawyer Mohammad Mahmoud explained that the public prosecution informed him on Wednesday about their decision to cancel the indictment submitted against his client Abulhawa after he requested to cancel the indictment that included charges of throwing stones in Silwan. The lawyer added that his request was based on a recording that clearly showed the child Abulhawa walking in the neighborhood of Wad Qaddoum in Silwan along with his brother towards the grocery store when there were no clashes in the area. A group of other children were also present in the area when then soldiers raided the area and arrested Abulhawa on charges of throwing stones. Lawyer Mahmoud added that the public prosecutor depended on the testimony of a policeman who said that he monitored the child with a telescope while throwing stones but the recording refuted the policeman’s testimony. The lawyer added that his client was arrested on 5/11/2015 and the judge extended his arrest several times and an indictment was submitted against him in the District Court. After presenting the video, he was released on 18/11/2015 on condition of open house-arrest and all charges against him were dropped today. Abulhawa was transferred in between O’z police center in Jabal Al-Mukabber, Al-Maskobyeh in West Jerusalem and Giv’on prison. He was subject to several punishments while detained in Giv’on prison including being assaulted by electric shocks. Abulhawa was under open house-arrest since he was released and was deprived from finishing the first semester at school and taking his final exams.
